Most of the cannons and
other heavy articles were thrown overboard, and, the ship being thus
lightened, they tried to float her off at daybreak. This they were
unable to do; but, by working hard all next day, they prepared
everything for a great effort at the evening tide, and had the
satisfaction of seeing the rising waters float the vessel off. But now
the sea was found to be pouring in through the leaks so rapidly that,
even with four pumps constantly going, they could scarcely keep her
afloat. They worked hard day and night, but the ship was slowly sinking,
when, by the ingenious device of passing a sail beneath her and pulling
it tightly, it was found that the leakage was sufficiently decreased to
keep her from foundering. Shortly after, they saw land, which Captain
Cook called "Cape Tribulation". He took the vessel into the mouth of a
small river, which they called the Endeavour, and there careened her. On
examining the bottom, it was found that a great sharp rock had pierced a
hole in her timbers, such as must inevitably have sent her to the bottom
in spite of pumps and sails, had it not been that the piece of coral
had broken off and remained firmly fixed in the vessel's side, thus
itself filling up the greater part of the hole it had caused. The ship
was fully repaired; and, after a delay of two months, they proceeded
northward along the coast to Cape York. They then sailed through Torres
Strait, and made it clear that New Guinea and Australia are not joined.

#9. Subsequent Visits.#--Several ships visited Australia during the next
few years, but their commanders contented themselves with merely viewing
the coasts which had already been discovered, and returned without
adding anything new. In 1772 Marion, a Frenchman, and next year
Furneaux, an Englishman, sailed along the coasts of Van Diemen's Land.
In 1777 Captain Cook, shortly before his death, anchored for a few days
in Adventure Bay, on the east coast of Van Diemen's Land. La Perouse,
Vancouver, and D'Entrecasteaux also visited Australia, and, though they
added nothing of importance, they assisted in filling in the details. By
this time nearly all the coasts had been roughly explored, and the only
great point left unsettled was, whether Van Diemen's Land was an island
or not.

CHAPTER II.

THE CONVICT SETTLEMENT AT SYDNEY, 1788-1800.

#1. Botany Bay.#--The reports brought home by Captain Cook completely
changed the beliefs current in those d